Travel China and Beyond

Panjiayuan Dirt Market

Known variously as the Dirt Market, the Weekend Market, or by its correct title-Panjiayuan Market-this colorful market is one the true experiences of Beijing. Although it operates in some form during the week, it is on the weekend that Panjiayuan comes alive. Here, you can find antiques (some are real, many are not), furniture, used books and newspapers, animal skins and animal horns, various tibetan ethnic items, Mao paraphernalia, wood carvings, jewelry, porcelain and ceramics, and a multitude of other items. It is a loud, smoke-filled cacaphony where people push eagerly past one another to get to the bargains first. Like any other market in China, haggling is compulsory and it is often very difficult to tell whether you got a fair price in the end. Odds are, you didn’t, but you had fun anyway. It is truly a tourist experience that is not to be missed.